Conventionally, animation creating apparatuses capable of creating an animation (time-varying image) using computer graphics.
Such animation generation apparatuses create an animation in accordance with data (animation prescription data) for prescribing an object in terms of its shape and movement in the time-varying image.
For example, reference (1) “Tokukaihei No. 7-44729 (Japanese Publication of Unexamined Patent Application, Date of Release: Feb. 14, 1995)” describes a CAD system (Computer-Aided Design system) for creating an animation by using an object-oriented program.
The system is so established that animation prescription data, which is in accordance with a kind of parts or a kind of movement of an apparatus to be an object of design (object), is inputted dialogically by selecting an instance (an example of the animation prescription data) stipulated in the object-oriented program.
Moreover, reference (2) “Tokukaihei No. 9-167251 (Japanese Publication of Unexamined Patent Application, Date of Release: Jun. 24, 1997)” discloses a CAD system in which a natural language (a language using expressions used in general sentences) as animation prescription data.
The system is so established that a sentence in the natural language inputted as the animation prescription data is analyzed so as to recognize words constituting the sentence, and relationship between the words, so that an animation is created by selecting, in accordance with the recognized words, a command for use in an animation regarding a shape or movement of an object. Here, the command is an indication language (reproduction engine-use language) for driving a reproduction engine for the animation.
However, in the system of reference (1), it is necessary to create and register a new instance in accordance with the object-oriented program, in order to set animation prescription data to other data that is not registered as an instance, for prescribing the object in terms of the movement or a change in the shape.
Moreover, in the system of reference (2), it is also necessary to create a new command and register the command in accordance with the natural language, in order to modify the object in terms of the movement and the change in the shape.
As described above, in those systems, it is necessary to create and register a new instance or command in order to modify, as requested by a user, the object in the animation in terms or the movement and the change in the shape. After the new instance or command is registered, the data is inputted by using the instance or the natural language.
Because of this, it is difficult to simplify the creation and modification process (editing process) and to shorten time period necessary for the creation and modification process (editing process).